Dr. Hellerstein is Director of the Mood
Disorders Research Unit at St. Lukes Roosevelt
Hospital Center in New York City. This research
center enrolls subjects for studies on a variety
of medications, both established and new
treatments. It has participated in pioneering
studies
in areas including:

· the treatment of dysthymia (chronic
depression),

· the treatment of bipolar depression
and bipolar mania,

· the combination of psychotherapy and
pharmacotherapy for treatment of depression

The Mood Disorders Research Unit
(MDRU) has performed numerous important
studies of Dysthymic Disorder and other types
of depression. The MDRU is located at St.
Lukes Roosevelt Hospital Center and affiliated
with the Columbia University College of
Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State
Psychiatric Institute. In its previous
location at Beth Israel Medical Center, the
MDRU performed the world’s first
double-blind-placebo controlled study of an
SSRI medication in "pure dysthymia"—that is,
Dysthymic Disorder without a superimposed
episode of Major Depression.

If you
are interested in enrolling in a study, call
our office. After a brief telephone
screening with one of our staff we may have
you make an appointment for a complete
screening to determine whether you are
eligible for one of our studies.

The Mood Disorders Research Unit
is conveniently located in midtown
Manhattan:

Clinicians can contact us by phone
(212-523-7666) or email (sbatchelder@chpnet.org)
regarding eligibility of their patients for
our current studies, or patients can contact
us directly.

INFORMATIONFOR RESEARCHERS

Current studies include:
Double-blind placebo-controlled study of
escitalopram (Lexapro) in the treatment of
dysthymic disorder

We are testing whether
escitalopram (Lexapro) is effective for the
treatment of Dysthymic Disorder.
Escitalopram is the L-enantiomer of
citalopram,
or Celexa, and is a currently marketed SSRI
antidepressant medication. The
study involves a 12-week double-blind phase
during which half the subjects will take the
new medication and half will take a placebo
(an inactive look-alike pill). After the
first 12 weeks, subjects will learn what
they have been taking,
and a second 12-week phase will begin during
which they can be treated with
an FDA-approved antidepressant medication. To
qualify, subjects must
be between 18 and 65 years old, and have
been feeling down, sad, listless, unable to
enjoy things, hopeless, or low in self
esteem for at least several years. Subjects
diagnosed as having Dysthymic Disorder may
qualify to participate in our medication
study. All study-related evaluations,
laboratory tests, medication, and visits are
free of charge. Exclusions: Patients
with recent drug abuse or dependence,
requiring other psychotropic medications
during the study, a history of Bipolar
disorder, Schizophrenia, or Schizoaffective
Disorder, or who have significant and
unstable medical problems (for example:
uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled
diabetes, HIV or AIDS, among others) are not
eligible.

Aripiprazole (Abilify) as an
adjunctive treatment for refractory unipolar
depression

We are testing whether
aripiprazole (Abilify) is effective for the
treatment of depression that has not
responded to antidepressant medication.
Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic
agent and has been approved for use in
schizophrenia, but it is not known if it
works for depression. The study provides
open-label treatment with aripiprazole for
twelve weeks, which is added to current
antidepressant medication. Individuals must
have a diagnosis of major depression,
unipolar, nonpsychotic type, and must be
between 18 and
70 years of age. Their depression must have
persisted despite having taken
an antidepressant medication at an adequate
dose for at least 6 weeks. Exclusions
include psychotic disorders, recent drug or
alcohol abuse, acute risk of suicide, and
unstable medical conditions.